This invention relates to a replacement printer cartridge chip, and more specifically to a replacement printer cartridge chip that utilizes a microcontroller with an encrypted module that enables operation of a replacement imaging device cartridge.
Currently, most imaging devices, such as printers, copiers, faxes and multi-function machines, utilize user-replaceable cartridges that contain the printing media, usually toner, which is a dry ink, or liquid ink. Replacement cartridges replenish the toner or ink supply and allow the continuing ability to print high quality documents and images when the previous cartridge has been depleted. Historically, once the previous cartridge was removed from the printer, it was considered office trash and it was discarded. The cartridges were, generally, very durable and they were capable of continuing to provide excellent print quality. However, without an ink or toner supply, the cartridges were effectively useless. Some years ago, an industry of remanufacturers developed to collect these spent cartridges and remanufacture them to like-new condition.
Traditionally, the cartridges were disassembled, cleaned, damaged parts are replaced, and the toner or ink supply replenished. In recent years however, the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) equipped these cartridges with a small circuit board, also called a “chip.” The purpose of the chip is to allow the printing machine to record information relevant to the cartridge such as printer model, pages printed, or toner remaining, onto the chip. When the toner is depleted, the chip is “closed” and does not allow any further use from that cartridge, regardless of whether the cartridge is replenished with ink or toner. In other words, once the initial toner or ink runs out and the chip is closed, the cartridge cannot be reused, even after remanufacturing. Thus, a replacement chip must be installed on to the cartridge, otherwise the printing machine would see the replenished or remanufactured cartridge with a “toner low” or “toner out” condition. The purpose for adding these chips is that the printer manufacturers design their printers to accept toner cartridges that they have manufactured themselves and to reject the toner cartridges manufactured or remanufactured by others. This allows printer manufacturers to prevent others from selling new or remanufactured printer cartridges that will work in their printers. As such, the OEMs have a monopoly over the production of replacement printer cartridge chips for their printer, which allows them to increase sales of their own toner cartridges.
In order to provide a fully functioning remanufactured replacement cartridge, remanufacturers must now include a replacement chip. These chips by design must emulate the physical fit and functionality of the OEM chips to provide error-free usage. These replacement, or aftermarket, chips at one time were developed by a number of companies.
Eventually, the OEMs developed chips that included an encrypted memory device containing critical data that was used as a key component on the cartridge IC to hinder aftermarket development of replacement chips. For this encrypted memory to work, it must be opened or unlocked by use of a password in order to access the data. Without the passwords, the encrypted memory device on OEM Integrated Circuit (IC) cannot be read or written to and the chip will not work. Further, the password is needed in order to have a functional replacement chip. Although it was difficult for remanufacturers or after market suppliers to determine the passwords, it was not impossible, and through careful analysis and the commercial availability of encrypted memory devices, the passwords have been determined. With the working passwords, after market manufacturers created fully functional replacement chips.
The resource capabilities of the OEMs enabled them to develop custom encrypted memory devices, which are not commercially available. This additional encryption did not make the product any better and was done exclusively to uncompetitively delay or even prevent the development of aftermarket chips that would enable cartridge remanufacturing. Specifically, in addition to a unique password, the replacement chip memory must also include a unique lot identification number. This number is located in a non-accessible, non writable portion of the encrypted memory device, which makes had made it impossible for aftermarket chip manufacturers to present or return the correct lot identification number to the machine to enable operation. In order to provide a fully functional remanufactured replacement cartridge, the remanufacturers require a replacement cartridge chip that returns the unique lot identification number when requested or needed by the printing device. Without properly programmed cartridge chips, the remanufactured cartridges do not function.
Thus, there is a need for a remanufactured printer chip that has a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is used in conjunction with an encrypted memory device that emulates the function of the custom OEM encrypted memory device to enable operation of a replacement printer cartridge. Although microcontrollers are commonly used in replacement cartridge chips, no replacement printer cartridge chip has ever combined a microcontroller in conjunction with an encrypted memory device to enable a replacement printer cartridge to function.